Published – Page 4 – Back to the Drawing Board Productions

BIG GLITTERY SHITSHOW REVIEW AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on December 6, 2019December 4, 2019 by Lloyd Marken

The first weekend of Wonderland Festival 2019 went off with a bang for me with Karen and I attending the Big Glittery Shitshow at the Stores Studio on Saturday night 22NOV2019.

It is not so much what happened but how it happened that matters so much with this show but it was some of the most fun I’ve had attending a show all year and I highly recommend the talents of all involved.

You can read my review here https://scenestr.com.au/arts/big-glittery-sh-tshow-brisbane-review-wonderland-festival-2019-20191126

Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Having started in 1993 they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland every month.

-Lloyd Marken

FORTIFIED REVIEW AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on December 4, 2019December 4, 2019 by Lloyd Marken

Following attending Awesome Ocean Party and Die Hard: The Movie, The Play Thursday the 21st of November the following evening we attended the cabaret Fortified starring Amity Dry in the Turbine Studio.

Fortified deals with divorce and Dry is to be commended for what feels like a very raw and honest show about her thoughts, feelings, and hopes for what happened and what will come of it.

I couldn’t shake the feeling though afterwards that at times my sympathies had not gone where I thought they should. That again could be something about how real and open this show was, it could also be my own interpretation of the show but it didn’t feel like it was by design or with purpose. It felt like something had been missed in the telling. A one-sided perspective it felt odd to wonder more about the others involved then come away even more deeply moved by Dry’s own tale of survival.

Amity has many fans and I certainly enjoyed her show, all the songs are original and many played in my head days later as did her incredible voice singing them. You can read the review that was published online by Scenestr magazine here https://scenestr.com.au/arts/fortified-brisbane-review-wonderland-festival-2019-20191125

-Lloyd Marken

MINI Coopers outside the Powerhouse on Friday night. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

Waiting outside the Turbine Studio to go into ‘Fortified’. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

DIE HARD: THE MOVIE, THE PLAY REVIEW AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on December 1, 2019December 1, 2019 by Lloyd Marken

Long term readers will know I am a fan of theatre company Act/React and their work so it may not come as a surprise to find that I went to see their latest at Wonderland Festival 2019 – Die Hard: The Movie, The Play which followed on from seeing their other work Love/Hate Actually, Kiss of the Vampire Squid, Titanic: The Movie, The Play.

It may also come as no surprise given the strength of the talent involved and the premise of recreating Die Hard as live meta theatre that I enjoyed the show very much following on from taking in the wonderfully quirky and heartfelt Awesome Ocean Party earlier that evening.

You can read my review here https://scenestr.com.au/arts/die-hard-the-movie-the-play-brisbane-review-wonderland-festival-2019-20191126

I was delighted to review both shows for Scenestr magazine who I was on assignment with for the third time at Wonderland Festival and there were more shows to come.

-Lloyd Marken

AWESOME OCEAN PARTY REVIEW AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on November 25, 2019December 1, 2019 by Lloyd Marken

How did I ever not know about Wonderland? Every year at around about this time the festival runs at the Brisbane Powerhouse with a mix of cabaret, comedians, plays and experiments.

This is my third time reviewing shows for Scenestr magazine and it remains something special that I truly look forward to. As I approached the Powerhouse for my first show I smiled at the lit up ‘W‘ sign above the main entrance. It was good to be back.

Last Thursday I arrived to see shows Awesome Ocean Party and the highly anticipated latest from Act/React’s Die Hard: The Movie, The Play.

More on the latter later but you can read my review of Awesome Ocean Party here https://scenestr.com.au/arts/awesome-ocean-party-brisbane-review-wonderland-festival-2019-20191125. Nominated for Best Cabaret at Melbourne Fringe 2016, the show had a quirky home made charm about it, likeable performers and a lovely message.

About to enter Wonderland again. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

Some new installations this year. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

With my baby. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

Afterwards attending the show at the Turbine Studio, Karen and I went to the bar and had our beloved favourite Powerhouse pizzas – basil and cheese for Karen and pepperoni for me.

We then made our way to Nakatomi plaza.

To be continued…

-Lloyd Marken

TERMINATOR: DARK FATE REVIEW AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on November 4, 2019November 4, 2019 by Lloyd Marken

I was lucky enough to be on assignment again for Scenestr magazine last Wednesday night to attend a preview screening of Terminator: Dark Fate at Reading Cinemas, Newmarket. There were other critics and fans in attendance.

Sadly while I enjoyed Linda Hamilton’s performance and think this is the best sequel we got since Terminator 2: Judgement Day that is not necessarily high praise. You can read my full review here https://scenestr.com.au/movies-and-tv/terminator-dark-fate-film-review-20191101

Getting off the train at Newmarket in sunny Brisbane, Australia. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

About to enter Newmarket shops. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

In the cinema with the movie about to begin. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

Foyer of the Reading, Newmarket. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

-Lloyd Marken

‘BLINDED BY THE LIGHT’ REVIEW AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on November 2, 2019November 1, 2019 by Lloyd Marken

On the 25th of July I attended a preview screening for Blinded by the Light at Palace Barracks on assignment for Scenestr magazine. I didn’t quite know what to expect but what I saw was the first great film of 2019. The release date had just been moved so finally three months later I can tell you about how good this movie is.

Directed by Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham) and starring Viveik Kalra as Javed Khan, the film is a wonderful coming of age tale centred around the son of Pakistani immigrants growing up in Luton, England circa 1987.

Javed is finding himself when he discovers the music of Bruce Springsteen and uses it to guide him in pursuing his dreams and defining himself. A period piece, there are startling parallels to our own times and nostalgia for a time now gone.

I can’t say enough good things about this movie, with unnecessary sequels like Terminator: Dark Fate and Zombieland: Double Tap pass through our cinemas I would urge anybody to check out this feel good delight and make it the surprise hit of the season.

Leaving the train station. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

Karen at Blinded by the Light preview screening. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

Back at Palace Barracks. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

In the cinema with the movie about to begin. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

You can read my review here https://scenestr.com.au/movies-and-tv/blinded-by-the-light-review-20191022

-Lloyd Marken

THE BIFF IS BACK – BIFF 2019 PART II – ‘MEMORY: THE ORIGINS OF ALIEN’ AND ‘LITTLE MONSTERS’ REVIEW AVAILABLE ON WEEKEND NOTES

Posted on October 17, 2019October 22, 2019 by Lloyd Marken

I went into the final weekend of the Brisbane International Film Festival 2019 having seen the excellent documentary Midnight Family about a Mexico City ambulance crew.

MEMORY: THE ORIGIN OF ALIENS: Then on Friday night I went to Reading Cinemas at Newmarket to see a 6:15pm session of Memory: The Origins of Alien. I film A found interesting for the stories of the film I was unfamiliar with like the involvement of screenwriter of Dan O’Bannon.

On the escalator heading in. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

It was an interesting film even if it seemed a little underfunded and dwelled on some points too long. I’ve been lucky to have a review published over at Weekend Notes that you can check out here https://www.weekendnotes.com/memory-the-origins-of-alien-film-review/

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Exiting Reading, I hopped in the car and drove over to New Farm cinemas who long term readers will recognise is an establishment I have some affection for. Catching a mocha with a mate over at the nearby 24 hour café Death by Decaf frequented by emergency personnel, hipsters, shift workers and young people out on the town. They make a damn fine mocha.

New Farm Cinemas. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

LITTLE MONSTERS: Then it was time to take in the late night 9:30pm screening of Aussie zombie comedy Little Monsters starring Lupita Nyongo’o. It was the kind of screening great for a film like this, close to full and with a Friday night crowd who wanted to be there and enjoy themselves. At a point when Neil Diamond’s classic Sweet Caroline featured somebody in the crowd voiced the bassline much to the delight of everyone else.

You can my review that was published on Weekend Notes as well here https://www.weekendnotes.com/little-monsters-film-review/

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Weekend Notes are a growing online magazine with a wealth of contributors based out of several cities across the United Kingdom, Australia and New York. Articles are leisure related and can include a wide variety of subjects from rainforest hikes to cultural festivals, from what hot new play is on at your underground theatre to a ultra trendy eatery. Writers are paid for their work based partly on how many views their articles get so please feel free to stop by and show some love.

-Lloyd Marken

THE BIFF IS BACK – BIFF 2019 PART I – ‘MIDNIGHT FAMILY’ REVIEW AVAILABLE ON WEEKEND NOTES

Posted on October 10, 2019May 4, 2021 by Lloyd Marken

BIFF IS BACK! The Brisbane International Film Festival is back for another year and long term readers will recall my affection for it. I volunteered at BIFF in 2004, 2005 and 2007. In 2008 I was down to see over 20 movies and met my future wife on the steps of the Palace Cinema on James Street. We lost a BIFF for a while there but it returned in 2017 where I attended with Karen for the first time Opening Night. I was also on assignment with Scenestr magazine to review Australia Day and then last year I was on assignment for Scenestr on opening night.

This year I was wrapping up a secondment at work and missed Opening Night and ended up sitting out the first few days of the festival.

New Farm Cinemas foyer after seeing ‘Midnight Family’. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

Yet on Wednesday 09OCT2019 at New Farm Cinemas Karen and I attended a 6:15pm session of Midnight Family missing the first few minutes. All up, I have bought tickets to see five films at BIFF 2019 with three of them being docos. I can’t wait to see them all and share with you.

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Midnight Family was a great documentary about private ambulance crews in Mexico City. I was lucky enough to have my review published at Weekend Notes which continues on from my first reviews published with them last year being reviews for films I saw BIFF. You can read my review here https://www.weekendnotes.com/midnight-family-film-review-brisbane-international-film-festival-2019/

-Lloyd Marken

SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK REVIEW AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on October 2, 2019October 2, 2019 by Lloyd Marken

I was lucky enough to be on assignment for Scenestr magazine to review the new film Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark produced and co-written by filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. We were over at Reading Cinemas in Newmarket which have a first rate large cinema.

I will admit horror films are not my forte but I think there are a few admirable qualities in this film even if it remains a little under served by its own ambitions. My review can be found here http://scenestr.com.au/movies-and-tv/scary-stories-to-tell-in-the-dark-review-20190926 and I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.

-Lloyd Marken

SINCE ALI DIED REVIEW AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on September 27, 2019May 4, 2021 by Lloyd Marken

The second week of September this year Karen and I were particularly lucky to be busy attending events for me to review. That Monday night we were in the Brisbane CBD at the Myer Centre for a preview screening of the hilarious Good Boys, Tuesday night we were at QUT’s Kelvin Grove campus to attend Truthmachine playing at the Theatre Republic as part of BrisFest 2019.

We closed out the week Thursday night back at the Theatre Republic to see Since Ali Died by Omar Musa. All of this was on assignment for the amazing Scenestr team. I’m in third year of working for them and I feel very blessed continuing to do this work while I’ve been busy with my full time job.

Also performing as part of the Brisbane Festival was Strut & Fret with their show Blanc de Blanc and comedian Sam Simmons who I was lucky to interview for Scenestr.

Since Ali Dead is for the most part a one-man show from rapper and spoken word poet Omar Musa, son of Malaysian immigrants who grew up in Queanbeyan. A brown Muslim boy who found something to be inspired by and comfortingly familiar in the proud iconic figure of sports and culture.

Afterwards there was a Q&A with Omar who talked about finding the right balance in his work between light and dark, friendly and provocative, funny and heartbreaking.

For me, he got it right and you can read more of my thoughts here http://scenestr.com.au/arts/since-ali-died-review-brisbane-festival-2019-20190913

Karen and I took in our surroundings afterwards at the Theatre Republic which had many different interesting displays which I enjoyed. I grabbed a toasted sandwich at the local bar they had set up and walked up the stairs into an eating area that sat on top of construction scaffolding while local musicians sang beautifully. I’m quite taken how simply spaces can be transformed and little moments can satisfy in big ways.

I can relate. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

Meatball sandwich. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

Cab coming to pick us up. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

Karen in the House of Common Hopes. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

On top of the world. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

The House of Common Hopes. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

Before the show. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

-Lloyd Marken

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